1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an information device for use in a vehicle. In particular, the invention relates to a device for providing an indication about the power position of the vehicle. The invention also relates to a method for providing an indication about the power position of the vehicle.
2. Background Information
In systems where the power position of the vehicle is manipulated by a push-button or the like, it is known to ascertain the current power position by the lighting of an indicator lamp. However, with such lighting of an indicator lamp there may be cases where annoying widow reflections are produced by the lighting conditions when driving at night, for example, and the like.
In non-patent reference document 1 (Toyota Crown new type vehicle manual Dec. 2003 (page 3-220)), a description is given about how an indicator lamp is extinguished when the power position is OFF and during engine running. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of reflections in the window while driving by extinguishing the indicator lamp when the engine is running.
However, with the technology disclosed in the reference document 1, the indicator lamp is also extinguished when the power position is OFF. Therefore in vehicles where the engine noise is quiet, so that it is not possible to tell easily whether the engine is running, there is the problem that it is difficult to decide whether the fact that the indicator lamp is extinguished means that the power position is OFF or that the engine is running. If the user mistakenly takes the extinguished lamp to mean that the power position is OFF although the engine is running, there is a possibility that he would mistakenly push the power button again.